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Friday, November 7, 2014

What to Wear to Your Next Portrait Session

Have you ever been stuck wondering what in the world to wear to your upcoming photo session? From a family of six I know it's hard to come up with something for everyone to wear. You may be tempted to tell everyone in your family to just throw on a white t-shirt! Many people struggle with this, you're not alone. In fact, it's one of the questions I get asked most as a photographer so today I'm going to give you a few tips that will hopefully help deciding for your future session much easier!

There are two key things you need to have in mind when planning your outfits for your session: color and location. Color is the most obvious, and often the hardest, factor of deciding on what clothes to wear. When considering colors, don't think "match," think "blend." Matching often makes you want to put everyone in the same color, or two different colors. This makes it really hard to find something for every family member to wear, and the pictures turn out a sea of one color with no individuality. Pick three or four (or more!) colors that all look good together and start from there. Also, don't be afraid to go away from solids. Plaid, graphic t-shirts, and patterns are all great ways for everyone to individually express their style and personality. Don't go overboard on pattern, but also don't think everyone necessarily has to be in solids.

Different colors and patterns are great because it gives the eye a variety of things to look at. It brings the image to life instead of one color seeming to make the entire picture bland and lifeless. Allowing everyone to wear their own outfit versus sticking everyone in a white shirt with blue jeans allows more diversity in the image, taking you from a sea of white and blue, to the recognition of everyone as an individual person.

The location of your session is something you definitely need to keep in mind when choosing colors! You don't want to blend in with your surroundings. You can never go wrong with choosing bold colors. They make you stand out in your pictures! If your taking pictures where you know the background will be "bland" (for example the beach or during the winter months) choose colors that will make you the center of attention. This may sound intimidating, but you're the focus in these images! This is why you're hiring a photographer...to capture you! So are neutral colors ever a good idea? The answer is yes. I love the simplicity and calmness of neutral colors, but they are best worn in front a background already full of bright colors. Think about the location you'll be getting your pictures taken at and decide from there what you think would be better...bold colors, or if would be okay to go neutral.

I've created a Pinterest board with some of my favorite outfit choices and my own comments as a guide for my clients... to get more ideas click here.

If you found this post helpful please share it! Also, I'd love to hear your own opinion in the comment section below!